Agony: A Sequel
by Akito The Sex Goddess
Summary: Cobalt eyes focus in front of him, the gravel path winding ahead, slowly fading to the thickness of a hair, until it disappeared over the hills that lie on the horizon..." D's son carries on the legacy of being a Vampire Hunter in the sequel to Between.
1. Dearly Departed

A lone figure sits upon an ebony equine, cape draping behind him, his long tresses cascading down his back. Cobalt eyes focus in front of him, the gravel path winding ahead, slowly fading to the thickness of a hair, until it disappeared over the hills that lie on the horizon. The day is bright and sunny, yet the feeling of sadness overwhelms him, although he does not show it. His gloved hands clutch tightly to the reins as he breathes deeply- in, then out, an attempt to clear his thoughts. This was the day he left for good. This day he would no longer live on the ranch. This day was his debut as a Vampire Hunter. Just like his father.

A man stands in the driveway, on the brink of tears, waving slowly, wanting to grasp the last memory of his "little brother". He lowers his brow, lip trembling. He inhales and the feeling subsides. He watches the back of his nephew trot away on that gallant steed he so dearly loves. He gives a nod of reassurance to himself, then heads back into the house.

It seemed like it was only yesterday. But it had been 17 years.

Seventeen years. Seventeen whole years ago that his sister and the one he looked up to the most had died. Since he was raised by the doctor until he was 17 himself. Since he raised his nephew like his own son. And now, the time had come for him to leave.

--

_The morning sun shone through the window, the curtains an elegant addition to the beauty that was nature. The old farmhouse was quieter than ever. He was sitting on the edge of his nephew's bed, his hand slowly brushing the young boy's hair out of his eyes as he slept._

_"It's time for me to go," came a voice from the doorway. As he turned, he saw Dr. Tsurugi standing there, his suitcase in hand. It was his 17th birthday, and what did he get? His father substitute leaving._

_But no one could have ever been a better father to him than D. He looked up to him like a big brother. He **was** his big brother. Oh, had he hoped, back in those little 9-year-old eyes._

_"Be safe," he told the doctor, tears welling up in his eyes. This departure made him think of the departure he and his sister had, or the one that he and D had. Sometimes he'd cry all night, but then he reminded himself of that thing D had told him._

_--_

_"Dan, remember what I said?"_

_"About being strong?" He wiped a tear from the young boy's cheek._

_"Yes. Be strong for your sister. It's okay to cry, but just be strong for her. You don't wanna see her cry, do you?" He shook his head, giving his brother a hug._

_"I'll be strong, D... I'll be strong."_

_--_

_He gave the doctor a handshake, then a hug._

_"You tell him I gave him my best wishes, alright?" He said, motioning to the sleeping boy. The 17-year-old nodded._

_"I will, Pops. I will."_

_"Alright then." With that, he turned and left, suitcase alongside of him. Dan nodded to himself. "I will," he whispered. "I will."_

_--_

And now he was leaving. That sleeping boy was a grown man, now. He could take care of himself. He had to. He was a Vampire Hunter, just like his father. He had his mother's heart, though, and her eyes... Every time Dan looked into those eyes, he felt like breaking down. Even at his age of almost thirty, he wanted to curl up into a ball and sob, he wanted to be that smiling 9-year-old boy again, to see his sister, and to see D.

He leaned against the door as he shut it, closing his eyes tightly. He held the tears in, though. As he turned to the fireplace, he saw a picture... It was Doris. She was in that beautiful white dress with the flowers hemmed at the bottom that their mother had when she was alive. Next to the picture was a hat. D's hat. It sat, half covering up the smiling face of Doris. This is when the tears fell.

Dan walked towards the fireplace, taking both the hat and the picture into his arms. "Be with him," he whispered to D. "Be with your son. Protect him, guide him, and give him the strength to have the spirit, the _will_ to fight like you yourself had so many years ago..." Tears dropped onto the picture and slid down. "You too, Sis. Be with him. Give him the heart to love like you loved so many... And give him your strength, too. You had a heart of steel, Sis. Give him that heart." With that, he set the picture and the hat down as they had been before. He gave a nod and headed to his room. "Be with him," he whispered. "Be with him."

--

**Alright, how's this for a first chapter of Agony, the sequel to Between! I got my muse from D's Departing Theme and Promise Part 2, both from the Vampire Hunter D soundtrack of the first movie. Thanks my valued readers for reading the first story, and I hope you enjoy this one as much as you did the other. And if you're a new reader, I suggest you read the other story before this. Thank you very much!**


	2. Surreal Reality

"What is it, Master Lucius?" The only light in the darkness of the Victorian-style room came from a few candles scattered throughout. Two figures stood along the luxuriously-patterned corridor; one a woman, one a man. Both of their faces were hidden by cloaks, but apparently the woman spoke, for the first voice was that of a femme. Her voice sounded dull; like she was possessed.

"Nothing, my love," the man said, extending a hand to rest on the woman's shoulder. She didn't move. He leaned close to her and kissed her forehead. "Be still- you're safe now." With that, the hood of her cloak fell to her shoulders. A face so divine that it could make even an angel swoon shone against the candlelight. Auburn locks of wavy hair that seemed to go on forever cascaded down her back. She was a sight to see, except for one thing- her eyes. They were glazed over, a murky, swampy color that could once have been a sparkling emerald. She stared forward as if the man ahead of her didn't exist, as if _she_ didn't exist. Then--

_Gasp!_ He woke up. Cracking his neck, he stood from his spot against the tree. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at his horse that stood, tied up to the tree. It gave a soft noise, looking at him curiously. He sighed.

He was just having weird dreams because it was his first week by himself. Right? But no... they seemed like more to him. More than a dream. Like a strange reality, a _second_ reality.

That wasn't the first time he'd dreamt of her, either.

They had been going on for a little more than a month. Every night it was the same thing- a "Master Lucius", a giant, elaborate castle, and _her. _That nameless woman he'd never seen before. Was she real, or had he made her up in his imagination?

The last part of the dream haunted him the most, though. She'd looked at him. At _him_. It was as if he were standing there, watching the two have their conversation, like he was invisible. But she looked _right at him_. Not that dull, glazed-over look, but for a mere second, a _millisecond_, she looked at him. At his eyes. At his soul.

He shook his head as he felt his mechanical horse nuzzle his shoulder. "What is it, girl? I'm alright," he said, patting the horse down her nose. He smiled and picked up his cloak, wrapping himself in it. Then, he hopped aboard the horse and set off.

He was going to do like his father did, scoping the lands for some Nobles to fight. He didn't do it for kicks, but to live up to his father's expectations. Even though he'd never known him, he was going to be just like him, just like the things he'd heard in all of the stories. That wonderful, great, spirited warrior they called "D".

"You think I should go by D like my Pops?" he asked his horse as they trotted along the plains. He chuckled to himself as the horse whinnied. "Yeah, you're right. They already think I'm him. I shouldn't push it."

--

The mechanical equine was tied up on the street. The fresh-starting Vampire Hunter was heading into the bar. No, he didn't drink much, but it was interesting to hear what people had to say about the town. That and, he could find out if there were any Nobles in the area that needed some ass kicking. He'd probably want to start out small, though, for this was his "debut" and he really had no idea what one was going to be like. He'd never even met a Noble, really. But he'd studied, he'd trained, and now, he was ready. Or more, he _thought_ he was.

"What'll ya have?" The bartender asked as he cleaned out a cup with a rag. The boy sat down on a barstool and sighed.

"How about a sherry, my good man," he said quietly, reaching into his pocket to pull out a few coins. Alcohol was pretty cheap these days, so it only cost him mere coppers.

"You sure you're old enough to drink? You sound pretty young, alright," the bartender said. The two chuckled. They had abolished the drinking age rule, well, _ages_ ago.

"I'm 17, believe it or not," he said as he handed the man his money. The bartender took it and filled up a cup of sherry, handing it to the boy.

"So, what's your name, son? You don't look like you're from these parts." The teenager chuckled softly, looking up at him with those cobalt eyes of his.

"Well, they call me Dante."

--

**I hope you liked that for a second chapter! It might pick up the pace a bit at first, but then I'm going to have it slow down... Don't worry. Oh, and I didn't mean for it to sound a lot like the one with Sybille. It will NOT be a dream world, don't worry. You'll find out soon enough. Thanks for reading! Review, please!**


	3. Hooded Figure

"Dante, is it?" The bartender and the Vampire Hunter sat in the bar, making small talk amongst the usual chatter of evening.

The teenager gave a nod, taking a sip of his drink. He set the cup down with a sigh. He was about to speak when a middle-aged woman sat down next to him, blonde hair peeking out from the hood she wore.

"I'll take the usual, Tom," she said, tapping her fingers nervously on the table. The bartender nodded and filled up a glass with some sort of strange-looking alcoholic beverage. Dante peered out at it for only a moment before looking away. But just as he was looking away, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"D, is that you?" The woman said. He turned to look at her. There, under the dim light, shone the woman's face. Jovial blue eyes sparkled against a slightly aging face, the corners of her eyes a bit creased and the lines on her mouth a bit deeper than a youth's.

"Sorry," Dante said, not adding the part about him being his father.

"Oh, forgive me," the woman said, looking at the table where the bartender set down her drink. Dante hesitated, then went on to say:

"He's actually my dad." The woman automatically turned back to him, her eyes wider than dinner plates.

"Really?! I didn't know he had a son! Wow... time flies," she said with a smile, looking down. She looked back at the boy. "You're a spittin' image of him. Well, except... now that I notice it, your eyes. Were they your mother's, perhaps?"

"Yep," he said with a nod. "That's what they tell me."

"...Tell you?" the woman said after a moment's hesitation. "You mean you never..."

"She passed away when I was still a baby. Along with my dad."

"Oh, heavens no," the woman said. "I'm sorry... I'm very sorry. You have my condolences." She furrowed her brow. "You know, people said things about _him _being dead but... I just didn't believe it. Even after 20 years... It still hasn't hit yet. But now that I hear it from you..." She frowned. "What on earth happened to him? From what I knew of him, he was indestructible."

"They said my grandfather killed him." After another 'aww' of the woman, he continued. "You said 'from what you knew of him'. Did you know him well?"

"Not really," the woman said, looking down at her drink. She traced the top of her cup with her index finger. "You see, we sort of tagged up together to fight this Noble... He'd taken some guy's daughter. Man... I lost a lot those few days. All of my brothers, my hopes and dreams..." She looked up with a smile. "And a few chunks out of my body, here and there, if ya know what I mean." The two shared a chuckle. The woman sighed, still smiling.

"D patched me up... Twice. He really did care, even if he didn't seem like it a lot of the time." She suddenly changed thoughts. "What's your name?"

"I'm Dante Lang," he said with a small smile. She grinned and held out her hand.

"My name's Leila. Leila Marcus."

--

"So tell me about yourself. What brings you to this little ol' town?" The two had paired up after their meeting in the bar to walk along the dusty main street, Dante walking his horse and Leila wheeling along her motorbike.

"Well, I'm looking for a few Nobles to fight, so I'm just scanning the area."

"A Vampire Hunter, huh? No wonder," Leila said with a grin. "Just like your daddy." She paused. "I've given up those days..."

"So, you were a Hunter, too, then?" Dante asked. "That's why you teamed up with Pops, right?"

"Right," she said with a smile, which soon faded. "Oh, I almost forgot. There _is_ a Noble in this area... He lives up a few miles... over those mountains," she said, pointing toward a group of purplish-black mountains against the sunset. "I'd have done it myself, but I'm a _retired_ Hunter. I mean, I'm just worn out." She chuckled dryly. "But, if I had the strength, I have a whole lot of reasoning to back me up..." She narrowed her eyes. "They say he kidnaps girls and takes them to his castle. You know, like _the Hidden_. I heard that he took a girl just about a month ago. Can't remember her name though. But the Noble... his name is Lucius. Can't say for a last name though, but--"

"Wait..." Dante said. "Did you say Lucius?" Lucius. _Master Lucius._ That was the name of the man in his dream... Was that a coincidence or what? Lucius wasn't a very common name.

"Yeah... Why?"

"N...No reason." Dante looked away. Was the fact that this Lucius guy had taken a young girl about a _month_ ago, the same time that he started having the dreams about a "Master Lucius" and a nameless girl, sheer coincidence? Or was it something more?

"Well, no one else as taken it up, right? The job, I mean," he said after a while. Leila nodded.

"That's right. Well..." She looked away for a moment. "I didn't want to tell you this to _scare_ you or anything..." She looked back at him. "But there was someone. Right when she was first taken. The brother. The brother of that girl went to save her." She swallowed hard. "They say they found him... _decapitated_. And it wasn't a weapon, either, that did it. Not a blade or anything. The head was... _ripped_ clean off its shoulders." She shuddered. Apparently she was a bit squeamish, but something like that could've easily scared anyone. "No one's tried it since. Even her own parents have given up on her." With that, she looked down at her feet, giving a disgusted look. Dante looked down as well. That obviously wasn't something very comforting to talk about, so he decided to change the subject.

"Well, I'm going to do it anyway. It looks like there's no one standing up to this guy anymore, so I'm gonna do the job."

"Like a kid standing up to a bully in a schoolyard," Leila said with a smile. "I hope you're prepared."

--

**Hmm, I guess the news of the "coincidence" came a bit quickly, eh? Sorry about that, but I don't know how I'd introduce it any other way. Anyway, please review! I loooove reviews! I'm curious as to why my readers of Between aren't reading this story! Hmm... Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you!**


	4. Photograph

It was already night by the time they'd gotten back to Leila's house. It was a small cottage tucked away in the hills, a whole lot smaller than the Langs' ranch, but it was big enough. Leila offered for Dante to spend a night at her house before trekking off to the Noble's castle.

"Here we are... Welcome to my humble abode," Leila said with a giggle as she opened the door. She was aging, yet she still had a bit of youthfulness to her. Dante had smiled and admired his surroundings.

"It's very homey," he said after inspecting the cute little flower pots spilling with flora, and the little fountain she had in the back yard.

"Thank you," she said as she went inside, holding the door for Dante. She flicked on the kitchen light as she entered. "My husband and I built this from scratch."

"Wow," he said, looking around the kitchen. It was a blue and white-oriented room, with everything from dishes to the floor, to the walls and even the pictures-- all was blue and white. There was a bit of cream colored things too, but the blue and white patterns, specifically checkered, had dominated.

"So, you have a husband?" He asked as Leila offered him a chair. He sat down and looked at her, expecting her to sit down across from her, but instead she pulled out two cups and grabbed a bottle of brandy.

"Yes, his name's William. William Jameson." She held out the brandy bottle, and he graciously accepted. "I kept my maiden name, though. I was always known as the sister to the Marcus Brothers, but now I can live up their names to the fullest." She poured the glasses with brandy and set one out for Dante, then one for herself and sat down.

"The Marcus Brothers..." Dante said, taking in the name. "I've heard of them. What were their names again? Borgoff..."

"Borgoff, Kyle, and Groveck," Leila happily answered, sipping her drink. She seemed a bit distant though, perhaps remembering them.

"Grove... He was sick all the time. Had seizures and things... Died because of it." She shook her head. "That and Borgoff's agitation. Now, Borgoff, he got eaten alive by ants..." She shuddered. "And Kyle... He was bitten by a vampiress."

"That's horrible," Dante said, looking down at the table. Blue and white. How fitting.

"Yeah, but that's in the past. You know, I owe it to your father that I'm here today," Leila said with a nod. "We had quite a showdown in the Castle of Chaythe."

"Tell me about it," Dante said. They chatted the night away, Leila telling stories of how D and Camilla had battled, and how Meierling and Charlotte had died in each other's arms.

"It was quite a romantic way to die, if you ask me," she said as she sipped her third glass of brandy. Dante still hadn't finished his first one, and noticed that Leila wasn't really holding her liquor all that well.

"Maybe I should retire for the night, Leila," Dante said with a small smile. She nodded.

"Alright, let me show you to your room." She stood and led him up the stairs, a bit wobbly, but strangely holding up the conversation all the while. She opened the door and held out her hand to show Dante the small room.

"It's a bit ordinary, but it's all we got," she said. He nodded and stepped inside. He inspected the room. The sheets on the bed were white and covered in lace. The pillows were fluffy, and there was an antique dresser with some bottles of perfume on it. It all looked quite girly.

"Thank you," he said as he took off his cloak and hung it up. "Do you have a daughter or something?" he asked, inquiring about the feminine room.

Leila was speechless for a moment, but quickly regained her confidence. "No, no I... I don't have children." She smiled. "G'night."

Dante nodded and sat on the bed as the door closed. Why was that so difficult for her to say? It seemed like there was a little more to this that he knew of.

Then he noticed it. On the dresser there was an antique-looking picture-- a vignette with a girl smiling. She wore a frilly white dress that was a little tight around her protruding bust. A good deal of cleavage was showing, covered ever-so slightly by a ring of pearls. The girl's hair was long and wavy, either red or brown-- he couldn't tell, for the picture was a bit faded. And her eyes...

Wait. Eyes... those eyes... he knew those eyes!

A flash in his memory, sparkling emerald eyes that looked at him, if only for a moment.

This was getting too weird. That woman... That was the woman in his dream! He wanted to go ask Leila about it, but instead he stopped himself and picked up the picture to further inspect it. Yes, it was her alright. Her hair was red, now that he had a closer look at it. She seemed so happy, so giddy... not anything like she was in the dream. She seemed controlled, possessed, anything but this smiling, happy girl.

This could not have possibly been a coincidence. It was fate. Yes... fate. That's what he told himself. A Master Lucius, the same name of the Noble that lived in the castle taking girls from their families... A girl whom he saw with Lucius... Precisely the same time she disappeared. This was strange. Absolutely strange.

What did this mean? Only time would tell...

--

**Another chapter in one day! Whoo! Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	5. The Quest Begins

"Good morning, Sleepy-Head!" Dante woke up. There in the doorway stood a smiling Leila, silver-coated platter in her hands. On it was a lovely arrangement of breakfast foods- there was French toast, pancakes, fruit, and a tall glass of juice. He grinned.

"Wow, Leila! This is too much... Thanks a lot!" She smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, placing the tray on his lap. He smiled, looking at the tray. He didn't know where to start!

But his smile slowly faded. He thought about the picture he saw on the dresser. He looked to the side. There it was, sitting, the auburn-haired girl smiling away. He looked at Leila.

"What was her name, Leila?" he asked. Immediately, she knew who he was talking about, and tears came to her eyes. She hesitated, then spoke.

"Charity. Her name was Charity." She closed her eyes tightly, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I... I lied to you, Dante. She was...she was my daughter."

"Was?" Dante asked, lowering his brow. Leila gave an audible sigh, wiping her eyes with her blouse.

"Charity was taken by a Noble... Named Lucius." She paused, then spoke with a squeaky voice. "A month ago." After this she began to bawl into her hands. Dante quickly set the tray aside and rubbed her on the back, shushing her gently.

"Sh...She..." Leila looked up. "Her twin brother went after her... My son, Isaac. I told him not to! I swore that if he went he'd..." She shook her head. "When they found his body I... My husband and I were devastated." She wiped her eyes, looking at the dhampir. "I just... gave up. I gave up on finding her. It's useless... I may have been a Hunter, but I'm no where near as young as I used to be. I... I just... I want to kill that bastard _so_ bad... "

"That's what I'm here for, Leila," Dante said reassuringly. "But I can only do it on one condition..." She blinked, looking at him.

"What's that?" He smiled.

"That you come with me."

--

"Be safe now, Leila." It was sort of a bittersweet farewell that afternoon. Leila and her husband had to part ways, which was a little difficult for both of them, but her husband understood very well that it was something she had to do. That, and they _both_ wanted their daughter back, no matter what the expense. And Leila was willing to risk everything.

With Dante at her side, she knew she would be safe. Any offspring of D had to be powerful, of course, and he had such a good heart... She trusted him.

Dante, on the other hand, felt that he _needed_ Leila. Of course, he was the power behind them, but she had such a strong will. And being an ex-Hunter, she'd know how to do things. He'd need her brains, and she'd need his brawn. They were a great duo.

"Take good care of the house, Will," Leila said, teary-eyed as she gave him a peck on the lips. She smiled and rubbed her eyes. "Make sure all my plants get watered."

"They will," her husband said, holding Leila close to him. They embraced for only a moment, then released from each other, holding onto each other's hands until even that connection had to fade.

They really love each other, Dante thought, half smiling as he glanced at the two. He was getting his mechanical horse ready to go. Food, water, mostly for Leila- for he didn't need to eat- but he'd even need a little bit of sustainability, like his packet of blood capsules. They were expensive, and he needed about 3-4 a month, but with just that he could survive. He needed so many because, although his father only needed about one, he was only _half _dhampir. _Dhampir_. He was 3/4th human.

"Let's go," Leila said, hopping onto her motorbike. It was equipped with an array of guns, bombs, and missiles- anything she could use to destroy Lucius and his minions. Dante nodded, admiring her artillery, as he hopped up onto his horse.

"Alright, Leila." He gave a nod to her husband, and the two set off for the castle. Leila held her tears in. Right now she was riding the path in which her son had taken... before he was killed. She could see him riding next to her, his auburn hair shimmering in the sunlight... the same color as his sister's. She shook her head. This wasn't the time. Right now was the time to fight. She needed revenge on this "Master Lucius" guy. And... even though he didn't know it yet, Dante would come to hold a grudge against him, too.

--

_Ohmahgawsh! I'm really, really sorry for keeping you guys waiting! I hope you haven't given up on this story! I have been in a Batman mood lately, writing my story "Primrose Path" (if you want to read it, I suggest it! It's one of my best stories!) Anyway, thank you for all of your support, and I hope you continue to care for my stories and review! I love to see your reviews every day! I read each and every one of them! So thank you guys, and remember to review!_


	6. Shimmering Goddess

On through the darkness they traveled; Dante on his horse and Leila on her motorbike. Like something out of a movie, they darted through the eerie abyss of opaque black, not even able to see their hands in front of them. The only light was the headlight on the motorbike that was the only thing keeping Leila from hitting a tree and flying off of it. Dante, being dhampir, could easily see in the dark, for it came naturally to him.

As they trudged on, they would come to a split path, surrounded by dangerously pointy castle tops and sharp rocks lining the ground. These were Noble ruins, which the Nobles we working on rebuilding. That's exactly where they were headed.

One of the castles had been completely rebuilt from when Hunters had destroyed it ages ago. It used to be called the Castle of Chaythe, but now it belonged to a new Noble, a man by the name of Lucius.

Leila had informed Dante about all of this on their difficult journey through the forest. So far, they'd had no problems, but that wouldn't continue for too much longer… It was a treacherous road ahead for them, both figuratively and literally.

"I see it," Leila said quietly as they sped along through the night. "I see the castle. Faintly, but its there."

"Me too," Dante said. "We should be arriving shortly." But it was just as he spoke that the tires on Leila's motorbike had been blown out by something in the unknown. The bike swerved to the side, sending Leila flying into the air and rolling down the hill. Dante turned his horse to save her, but the same blinding flash had come hurtling towards them. He'd jumped out of its path just in time, but for the mechanical horse, it was too late. The equine fell into two to the ground. Dante, however, landed swiftly on his feet, his sword extended out in front of him.

"Show yourself!" he yelled, hand gripping the hilt of his longsword. The flash made a dash towards the right, and Dante could barely follow it with his eyes as the strange thing darted off into the darkness.

"Ngh," Leila grunted as she pulled herself up over the ravine she'd rolled down, collapsing onto the cool soil once she'd done so. "The hell was that…?"

"No idea, but it can't be good…" Dante said, bending down to Leila's side. "Looks like someone doesn't want us here. Now, let me see those wounds."

"Maybe it's a Noble guard, or one of Lucius' henchmen," she said, holding up her right hand to show three bloodied fingers. "This is the only spot that's hurt too bad. I think they're broken."

"I think you're right," Dante said, examining the fingers, then taking out a first aid kit he'd stashed away on his mechanical horse. He took out some gauze and began to wrap her fingers in it, using a small stick as a splint.

"It's the best I can do for now, Leila," he told her as he wrapped the gauze continuously around her swollen digits. "Just don't move 'em too much."

"Gotcha," she said, flinching as he fixed the splint a little. "Jesus, that hurts like one goddamned son of a bitch."

"At least it's not your leg or something," Dante replied, ripping the gauze with his teeth. "There ya go."

"Thanks," the blonde woman said as she sat upright, looking at her makeshift bandages. "You think we should rest for the night, err, day? Its almost sunrise."

"Yeah. It'll sure as hell make it a lot easier on me if we travel by night. I'm kind of prone to sun sickness, you know." Leila nodded, hobbling over to her motorbike.

"Damn sure sucks that we don't got a ride anymore, neither of us."

"You can say that again," the dhampir said as he watched her pull out a sleeping bag from a side compartment in the bike. "Looks like you came prepared."

"Well, it aint much, but at least its something, ya know?" Leila said, beginning to set it up. "I brought a few blankets, too." She eyed the dhampir up for a moment. "You bring anything?"

"No, heh," he said, fixing his cloak a little. "I don't really need it, you know. Don't get too much sleep, seeing as I'm part Noble."

"Yeah, part D too. He never slept, far as I could tell." Leila stood, stepping over to the dhampir and grabbing his hand. "But that still means you're part human. You can sleep by me."

"Oh, uh," Dante began, hesitating a little as he was pulled up. She was pretty strong, he noted, for a human girl. "You really don't--"

"But I do," she insisted, leading him to the fully extended sleeping bag she'd set out. It was more like a mattress now that he looked at it, and surely was wide enough for two, maybe even three people. But… he still was hesitant.

Leila looked down, her blue eyes sparkling. "Doing anything for you, and for D… it'd make me feel better for the debt I'd built up with him." She paused. "He saved me a few times, I didn't do too much in return. We called it even, but…. I still don't feel quite right. Please, Dante, take what little I can give you."

When she put it that way, it made Dante feel a little guilty that he kept denying her like that. He looked down.

"Alright, but just promise me one thing," he said after a moment's hesitation, looking directly into Leila's aqua orbs.

"Anything." Dante smiled.

"Don't hog the blankets."

--

"Master?" The door to the elaborately decorated room creaked open as a thin redheaded girl with dazzling emerald eyes stepped in. She was clothed in a beautiful Victorian black dress just as ornate as the room, with shiny black heels that echoed with every step on the marble flooring. But again, this auburn beauty's eyes still looked dull, and glazed over, like a dead person's, and her voice sounded like that of an android, a machine.

"Yes, my love?" came a rich voice from a face hidden behind a long, black cape. This figure was sitting in a chair with his back to the girl, only his head was turned in the slightest, revealing a pale, gleaming cheek against smooth, slicked-back hair that was as black as the night itself. The voice had been so beautiful, even the chime of pure crystal could not have matched its clarity.

The girl made her way towards her master, almost zombie-like, her steps perfectly aligned like a robot, and her dull eyes looking straight ahead. As she approached the figure in black, she placed a slender hand on his shoulder. The figure reached up with his right hand, still not revealing his face, and placed his fingers to her chin, bringing her head down to his. It was then when he'd grinned that a pair of perfectly white fangs gleamed like stars were revealed.

"Please," the girl breathed, moving her hair aside so that her pale neck was showing, open to the one she called 'Master'. He chuckled darkly, getting a grip onto her neck, slowly leaning in, those fangs shining tauntingly…

"Ngh!" Dante sat upright. It was broad daylight, and it took a few moments for his eyes to get accustomed to the light. Birds tweeted every so often from high in the tree tops, what bit of the sun's rays shining through the branches like all the glory in heaven. Dante rubbed his eyes, turning to the side. Leila was nowhere in sight.

In an instant the dhampir had risen to his feet, beginning to search frantically, almost forgetting to grab his sword in the process.

"Leila!" he called out, looking all about. He was a little disoriented, but he searched the best he could. "Leila, where are you?!"

He ran and ran, around trees, over stumps, through the brush, until he heard the sound of running water. Following it, he came upon a small clearing in the forest, where a river snaked through, a waterfall pouring into it from the cliff above.

Amidst the gently flowing waters, a pale bodice stood, glistening under the water droplets, and looking like a goddess under the waterfall, her shoulder-length blonde hair plastered to her head. Leila.

Just as the dhampir had come to this scene, the woman turned around, blushing and covering herself frantically as her eyes met Dante's.

He turned around quickly, a blush that didn't really fit his complexion set on his face, embarrassed to have found her like this.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, Leila, I…"

"N-no, I should be sorry," the blonde woman said, slowly making her way across the wide river to meet up with the boy. "I left you sleeping over there. I should have said something. It's just… I'm not used to sleeping in the day, D, and I decided to take a bath in my free time."

Dante kept his back to her, staring at the ground, making sure he didn't even get a glimpse of the woman. "You called me D."

"I…what?" Leila asked, looking a bit confused.

"I said, you…" Dante began to turn around, out of instinct, but quickly stopped himself. "I said you called me D," he added a bit more quietly. Leila gave a sigh, smoothing her hair back.

"Sorry, I didn't-- Hey," she said, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Look at me." Hesitating greatly, the dhampir boy turned to face her, ever-so slowly, a bright red blush burned on his cheeks as he made sure to keep her gaze and not let his eyes falter.

"I'm sorry," Leila said again, firmly. "For calling you D."

"Y-yeah, it's f-fine," Dante said quietly, his eyes wide and fixed on Leila's. "I-I do look a… lot like him."

"What are you so afraid of, Dante?" the blonde woman asked, grabbing his hand with her own. "You're afraid to look. I don't mind. If I did, I wouldn't be talking to you like this, would I?"

Dante, bottom lip trembling, kept her gaze. "I…" His eyes widened as Leila placed his hand on her own breast. She looked down, then back up at him, biting her own lip through a smile. The dhampir was temporarily frozen for a moment, until he suddenly jerked his hand away, placing it back at his side.

"I'm not D, Leila… Y-you… You keep forgetting that." It was obvious. It was obvious to him that Leila had loved his father. The way she sounded every time she said his name, filled with lust and loneliness… She must have been madly in love with him. It would have been quite a shock to see that he'd fallen in love with another, his mother, Doris, and it would have been horrifying to see his child with that same woman… Dante felt pity for her.

"Ah, forget it!" Leila said, turning her back to him roughly. Dante waited, then put a hand on her back.

"Leila, I'm--"

"Just leave me the hell alone, okay?" she asked quietly, not turning back to look at him. He nodded after a moment, then stood, and swiftly walked away.

--

_Sorry that took so goddamned long! Man, sorry I got a little kinky on you guys e.o but you can tell how Leila felt for D. It was pretty damn obvious. She was playin' hard to get. 8P Anyway, if anyone even reads this still, I hope you enjoy another chapter of Agony! Oh, and by the way, thanks to you-know-who-you-are for getting me started on writing this story again! :3 It felt so good to know someone still read this!_


	7. The Man in the Cloak

Dante and Leila trudged onward through the day. Things had been awkwardly silent throughout the whole ordeal, but since neither of them could go back to sleep, they would be stuck traveling through the daylight. Whatever had attacked them the night before was most likely a creature of the night, and the fact that the vampires themselves could not walk in the light, well; it was better traveling this way. Though safer, Dante could still succumb to sun sickness, and so he was careful to stay in the shade as much as possible.

Things were moving a lot slower, now that neither of them had any means of transportation. Dante's mechanical horse lay in ruins next to Leila's motorbike. They had gathered what supplies they could, but from there on out they were walking.

Dante didn't like the awkward silence hanging between the two, yet he was too ashamed to start up a conversation. It seemed as if Leila felt the same way.

Suddenly, though, Dante heard a sound, like the whisper of leaves rustling against each other, though it sounded like…

_Dante…_

"Leila?" he asked, stopping in his tracks, looking at the blonde beside him. She looked at him, holding her bandaged hand in her undamaged one, raising her brows. "What?"

"Didn't you say that?" he asked. At the middle-aged woman's shake of the head, the dhampir froze.

"Who's there?" he said, automatically unsheathing his sword. Leila stood on guard with her ray gun that she pulled from its holster, although she had heard nothing. She stood there, listening, waiting, wondering what Dante was hearing.

"Show yourself!" Dante demanded, but not another word was spoken. He waited there in the silence, sword at the ready, Leila armed and beside him, but after a moment he realized that whatever had spoken his name was gone. "…They're gone."

"Are you sure you weren't just hearing things?" Leila asked, concerned for her younger cohort.

Dante, after a moment of considering the possibilities, sighed. "Who knows," he said distantly, rubbing his head. "Maybe I am."

And with that, the two kept walking through the daylight, across the treacherous and rubble-filled path that led to the Noble ruins.

Heavy, labored breathing was the only sound heard throughout the castle, that and the pitter-patter of dainty, pale feet that pressed against the marble floor with every step. Long, auburn tresses flowed against the black gown she was wearing, the gown whose slender shape accentuated the voluptuous form that lie beneath. Her emerald eyes were no longer glazed as before. No, they were alert, and sparkled more than the moon in the dim candlelight that lined the hallway. There was a sense of panic in her eyes mixed with a feeling of impending freedom as she neared her destination. Closer and closer she ran through the silent castle until—

A loud, piercing scream filled the halls. In front of her stood the cloaked Master Lucius, the only visible facial feature being lips as red as blood curved into a wicked grin. The girl on the other hand looked horrified, and backed up slowly, only to be followed immediately by the Noble ahead of her. She started to turn and run, but another hooded figure stood in her path. Soon, there were four of them surrounding her; Lucius and three others. The Noble Lucius clapped his hands twice, and a horrified scream rang through the air as the three hooded figures approached her.

"Help me, Dante!"

Dante rose in a cold sweat. Although, he couldn't literally rise—for he was covered in dirt from the neck down. Leila kneeled over him, looking frantically into his eyes with her cobalt blue ones, her hand running through his hair.

"Finally, you're awake! I thought I had lost you!" she said, placing his head in her hands. "The sun sickness hit so fast I didn't know what to do!"

"Sun sickness?" he asked groggily, slowly lifting his body from the mound of dirt he was under. Leila nodded.

"Yes. We were just talking when you dropped to the ground all of a sudden, so I quickly buried you in the dirt, just like I did with your father," she explained, helping him up. After he fully rose from the grave, so to speak, she helped him brush the excess dirt off of his person.

"We need to go," Dante said suddenly, starting to walk at a brisk pace. Leila followed, although she was confused.

"Why—

"Charity's in trouble," he said. Leila didn't know what he was talking about, or more so how he knew, but she wasn't going to ask. He was the son of D, after all. Dante himself didn't understand why he was having these dreams but he knew that they had to move quickly if they were going to get there in time.

As they ran through the remainder of the day, only taking breaks when Leila needed them, the only thing Dante could think about was those emerald eyes, that horrible, piercing scream…But nothing brought a chill to his bones like the last words she said.

"_Help me, Dante!"_

He shuddered, thinking about it. How did she know who he was? Or maybe this was all just a dream? He was tired and confused but there was no time to think about that now.

They passed through a small village on the edge of the path that led to the ruins. It looked like a ghost town, with half of the windows cracked and broken, and not a person in sight. However, they needed to gather more supplies, such as food and water for Leila, and perhaps they could get some form of faster transportation. The large castle ruins in the distance mocked them with its close appearance, though in reality it was miles and miles away.

"Do you think it's abandoned?" Leila asked as the two wandered through the town. However, her question was quickly answered when the two noticed a man in a brown cloak that covered his entire body, sitting on an old bench.

"Excuse me, sir," Leila began as she and Dante wandered up to him. The man's face was hidden by the shadows, though every once in a while a tassel of gorgeous black hair whipped out from under the hood. "But are there some places where we can find food and water, and perhaps some medical supplies?"

"There's a general store just around the corner," came a raspy voice of an elderly man, though the hand that lie on a cane he was holding looked as young as Dante's. The man kept his head low, however, so that neither of them could see his face. "Say, you two wouldn't be Hunters, would you?"

"Yes, we are," Dante answered, trying to get a glimpse at the man, though he turned his head away. Something felt strange about him, as if a dark aura hung over him. Something…alluring.

"Oh, I suppose you're going up to save that girl, aren't you?" the raspy voice continued, oddly sounding as if it were coming from somewhere other than the man himself, though there was no one else around. As stupid as Dante thought it sounded, he thought the voice was coming from the man's cane. "I wouldn't do that," the voice continued. "That Master Lucius is a shady Noble, that's for sure. Killed the girl's brother and he'll probably do the same to her."

Leila clenched her fist, but Dante put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "Well, no one else has gone to save her, so we at least need to try," he said firmly. The raspy voice laughed.

"Oh ho ho, I think that's a bad idea. Methinks it's a trap."

"Well, then we're gonna have to fall right into it," Leila said sternly, not liking the man's tone of voice. "Now, where is this general store?"

"Just around the corner, Milady. You can't miss it," the man said. Dante and Leila both nodded before heading off. "It's a trap…" the raspy voice called after them.

"I don't like him," Leila stated firmly, her eyes looking at her broken fingers. Dante nodded, but listened behind him as he heard a voice that seemed oddly familiar.

"…have to stop them somehow," was all he caught it say. The voice was pure and beautiful, angelic perhaps. It appeared that Leila heard nothing, but with Dante's dhampir hearing, he could. Turning around, he looked to see the source of the voice, but saw nothing other than the man in the cloak sitting on the bench.

_That's odd…_

**Sorry that took so long, guys! You don't even know how hectic my life has been…I'll offer an explanation later. ): Sorry!**


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